VZCZCXRO8521
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #2106/01 2761853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031853Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6911
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 8256
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 5609
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4332
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 3047

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRASILIA 002106 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS NTSB FOR DANA SCHULZE, JOHN CLARK 
STATE PASS NTSB FOR BOB MACINTOSH 
STATE PASS FAA FOR C. TERE FRANCESCHI 
BUENOS AIRES FOR TSA - J. OCHOA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR OTRA ASEC BR
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR ADDITIONAL NTSB EMPLOYEE TO PROVIDE 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: A) BRASILIA 2094 
      B) SECSTATE 165115 
 
¶1. Post grants country clearance for the October 04-15 (tentative 
departure) visit of Brian Keane Murphy, aircraft structures 
specialist, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to travel to 
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, for the purpose of aiding the Brazilian 
authorities' investigation into the fatal crash of a Boeing 737 in 
the Amazon jungle. 
 
¶2. Visitors are reminded that all US citizens traveling to Brazil 
for any purpose require visas, which must be obtained in advance 
from a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate. "Airport visas" do not exist, 
and immigration authorities will refuse entry to anyone without a 
valid visa.  All Brazilian visas are considered invalid if not used 
within 90 days of issuance. 
 
¶3. Visitors should be current with all immunizations required for 
Brazil.  Those arriving on flights that do not originate in the 
United States are advised to ensure that their yellow fever 
vaccination is up to date, and that they have their WHO yellow cards 
with them to prove it.  Please consult with appropriate medical 
authorities before traveling. 
 
¶4. (U) The U.S. Embassy continues to receive reports from official 
visitors and tourists of recent VARIG domestic and international 
flight cancellations due to the airline's financial difficulties. 
These cancellations continue to result in missed connecting flights 
in Sao Paulo and Rio, and disruption of travelers' itineraries. 
Although the airline has been purchased by a new buyer, both 
domestic and international flights are likely to operate at a 
significantly reduced confidence level during their restructuring 
period. 
 
U.S. citizens should keep this in mind when making travel plans. 
 
¶5. (U) All official visitors must attend the RSO Security briefing. 
 
¶6. Please find below information on the city to be visited: 
 
- Rio de Janeiro - 
The United States Consulate in Rio is located at Avenida Presidente 
Wilson 147, Castelo, Rio de Janeiro, telephone number (from U.S.) 
011+[55](21) 2292-7117, fax number (from U.S.) 011+[55](21) 
2220-0439.  Emergencies and calls after normal business hours may be 
directed to Post One at 011+[55](21) 2220-0489. 
 
Hotel information: We understand that hotel accommodations for all 
four NTSB and FAA inspectors have been arranged by NTSB at the Hotel 
Intercontinental, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, tel. 55-21-3323-2200. 
 
¶7. The point of contact in Brazil will be Col. Antonio Ruffino, 
CENIPA, 55-21-9968-1509.  Post assistance is not requested. 
 
¶8.  Comments/questions for NTSB should be directed to: 
Dana Schulze 
Acting Chief, Aviation Engineering Division (AS-40) 
National Transportation Safety Board 
202-314-6323 
SCHULZED'AT'NTSB.GOV 
 
¶9. Persons entering Brazil under the USG auspices have an important 
role to play in strengthening U.S. - Brazil cooperation.  Please 
keep this priority in mind during your visit and inform the embassy 
or nearest consulate promptly of any opportunities or problems that 
arise.  As a result of the imposition of biometric enrolment of the 
US-VISIT program, the Government of Brazil started fingerprinting 
and photographing arriving U.S. citizens in January 2004.  Present 
GOB policy is not to fingerprint U.S. travelers arriving on official 
or diplomatic visas.  It is possible, however, that official 
visitors could be asked to submit to a fingerprinting through 
administrative error.  The Embassy hopes that visitors will comply 
with reasonable requests from the Brazilian immigration authorities. 
 Any unusual delays or unreasonable treatment should be brought to 
the attention of the Management Officer so they can be relayed to 
the GOB.  Full cooperation with the identification procedures is 
advisable. 
 
¶10. MEDICAL EVACUATION, INSURANCE AND HEALTH UNIT ACCESS ISSUES: 
 
Direct Hire employees (not contractors) of the Department of State, 
USAID, DOD, and CDC need not take further action. Direct Hire 
employees of other U.S Government Agencies must provide their 
control officer by cable or e-mail a name and 24-hour point of 
 
BRASILIA 00002106  002 OF 003 
 
 
contact for their agency that can authorize medical evacuation.  For 
employees whose agencies are not authorized to fund medevacs, 
individuals will be responsible for obtaining their own medevac 
insurance and providing the information to their control officer. 
 
The USG does not cover contract employees for medevac.  Therefore, 
all USG contractors (regardless of the government agency they are 
contracted to)  must provide their control officer prior to arrival 
the name, phone number, and policy number of their medevac insurance 
provider(s) for use in case of emergency. 
 
Contractors do not have access to services in the Health Units at 
Post. In an emergency, the Health Unit will try to facilitate access 
to care on the local economy or facilitation with their medevac 
provider. Contractors need to be advised that for any medical care 
needs they will need to use services provided on the local economy. 
 
¶11. Please find below some information on Administrative procedures 
and requirements: 
 
¶A. Each visitor, regardless of length of stay, must bring/forward 
fiscal data to pay for direct costs of the visit.  Each agency, 
organization or visiting delegation will be charged for the actual 
costs attributed to its visit.  Direct charge costs include, but are 
not limited to: 
 
-- American and LES overtime (for such services as airport 
expediting, cashier accommodation exchange, control room staffing, 
representational event support); 
Travel and per diem costs incurred by post personnel in support of 
visitor's field travel; 
-- Rental of vehicles and other equipment; 
-- Long distance telephone calls; 
-- Office supplies; 
-- Gasoline and other vehicle maintenance costs; 
-- Departure tax and other airport fees. 
 
Post will not provide service if fiscal data is not provided for the 
direct charges. 
 
¶B. For TDYers remaining at post over 30 days, there is a charge for 
ICASS support services. This charge is for the following ICASS 
services and will be billed thru the ICASS TDY module, based on a 
per-capita-basis, prorated for the length of stay. For example, a 
TDY visit by one USG employee of 06 months' duration would be 
counted as 0.5: 
-- Basic Package; 
-- Community Liaison - CLO; 
-- Health Services. 
 
¶C. If your sponsoring agency is not signed up for ICASS services at 
post, please be prepared to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
document for ICASS support services upon arrival.  The agency should 
provide post with a written communication generated by the 
traveler's headquarters that confirms the agency will pay ICASS 
charges for the TDYer. The communication should include the agency 
ICASS billing code to which the TDY support should be charged and 
authorize the traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the 
TDY module.  Agencies will not be billed until the accumulated 
invoice cost for TDY support exceeds Dols 2,500 for the fiscal year. 
 Where travel is urgent, the TDYers should bring this documentation 
with him/her to ensure there are no interruptions in the provision 
of service.  Post will not provide any service to a TDYer staying in 
excess of thirty days without provision of this documentation before 
day 31 of the TDY. 
 
¶12. Crime is the principal and real threat to visitors to Brazil. 
The crime threat level in Rio de Janeiro is critical.  Taxis and 
private vehicles should be used to move about. 
 
¶13. In addition, individuals and organizations with ties to 
extremist groups operate in the tri-border area between Brazil, 
Paraguay and Argentina - this includes the Iguacu falls area. 
Official visitors contemplating travel to this area should contact 
the Embassy before doing so, as well as Embassy Asuncion and/or 
Embassy Buenos Aires if they plan to cross into Paraguay and/or 
Argentina. 
 
¶14. Visitors should practice common sense preventative security 
techniques, just as they would in any large city in the world.  Some 
of the more important tips that you should follow to avoid becoming 
a crime victim are: 
 
-- Do not carry or wear valuable items that will attract the 
 
BRASILIA 00002106  003 OF 003 
 
 
attention of thieves.  If you need to wear expensive jewelry or 
carry a camera; conceal it until you arrive at your destination. 
 
-- Be aware of the street environment and avoid contact with those 
who may be looking for robbery targets.  Seek a safer location.  Go 
into a store, bank or simply cross the street. 
 
-- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.  While this is a 
personal decision, statistics show that resistance leads to injury. 
 
-- Do not answer your hotel room door until you positively confirm 
who is on the other side.  Look out the peephole, or call the front 
desk to confirm the visitor. 
 
-- Do not walk on the beaches after dark.  Assaults are common. 
 
-- Avoid city buses.  Many pass through high crime areas and are 
susceptible to robberies. 
 
¶15. Visitors who intend to bring U.S. Government portable 
microcomputers into the embassy or consulate must obtain prior 
approval from the systems manager and the RSO/PSO.  The use of 
privately owned computers is discouraged in any government 
facility. 
 
SOBEL